You may or may not have been following the D23 expo which took place last month but there were lots of Disney theme park announcements which has got us excited for our Trip to Florida next year.

We love going to Orlando, visiting both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, so we thought we’d highlight what exciting changes are coming next to the parks:

Opening Spring 2018 Fast & Furious – Supercharged is heading to Universal OrlandoExpect high speed car chases, special character cameos and a thrill ride with cutting edge technology taking over from the Disaster Ride. Holly visited Universal Studios Hollywood in January and caught a glimpse from the Tram tour, and if this is anything to go by, it will be spectacular!

Photo Credit: Universal Orlando

Summer 2018

Toy Story land opens in OrlandoNot necessarily a new announcement but something we are eagerly anticipating. Opening in just over a years’ time, Toy Story land shrinks you down to size to allow you to play in Andy’s back yard. Rides include Slinky Dog Dash, a rollercoaster, and Alien Swirling Saucers. We are big fans of this area in Walt Disney Studios at Disneyland Paris, as it is so well designed with lots of intricate details.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks

Slinky Dog definitely looks like our kind of rollercoaster, we are not huge fans of being shaken about or going upside down (think Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain – Florida, as some of our favoruites). Check it out here:

Hotel Aventura: Universal Orlando’s 6th on-site hotelOpening in August 2018, this 16 floor hotel will host 600 rooms and will sit adjacent to Sapphire Falls hotel. The building will tower over the Universal park, making it ideal to sit back and relax in their rooftop bar.

Photo Credit: Universal Orlando

Walt Disney World is getting a new form of transportation
If you have ever been to Walt Disney World, you’ll know how far apart the parks are. To get from your hotel to the parks can take a 10 minute wait at a bus stop followed by a hot bus ride to your destination. Disney is tackling this by providing an gondola system – Disney Skyliner. This will connect Disney’s Hollywood Studio Park and Epcot (which you can walk between relatively easily) to the following hotels: Art of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach and Riveria Resort. Each capsule will be designed after Disney characters and it is schedules to be opened in 2018.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks

Star Wars: Galaxy’s EdgeD23 saw the unveiling of the official name of the Stars Wars land at Walt Disney World, opening late Summer in 2019. One ride announced will involve flying the Millennium Falcon. I wouldn’t be surprised if the system replicates the Spaceship Earth over in Epcot, where you and three others work together as a crew to fly the ship.

New Disney Vacation Club ResortDisney Riviera Resort will sit between Epcot and Hollywood Studios and will be home to the newest property to join the Disney Vacation Club. For those who don’t know, think of Disney Vacation Club as a time-share programme which allows you to pay for your Disney vacation over the year. Riviera Resort is said to host “unbelievable views of the night time spectaculars” of both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, and is scheduled to open late 2019.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks

Dragon Challenge is finally closing
On September 5th this year, Dragon Challenge (formerly Duelling Dragons) located in Hogsmeade Universal Orlando will close down to make way for a thrilling new Harry Potter e-ticket attraction. This “highly-themed” roller coaster which will hopefully breathe new life into the land. Don’t get us wrong, it is an incredible land, but since Diagon Alley opened it is hard to compare the two. You won’t have to wait long for the new ride as they say it will open in 2019, we are heavily anticipating further ride details to be announced.

Disney Announce a highly themed and immersive Star Wars Hotel
Complete with story lines and cosplay, Disney have just announced a Star Wars hotel which will revolutionise hotel experiences as we know it. Opening near Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World in 2020, this hotel is expected to have high room rates but play home to once in a life time experiences.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks

In 2021 there are lots of exciting things to see around both Universal and Disney parks

Guardians of the Galaxy ride opening in EpcotAt the beginning of this year Disneyland Anaheim unveiled the Guardians of a Galaxy make over to the Tower of Terror, and we are finally starting to see this franchise come to the Florida parks. There is no clear indication as to what the ride will be yet but we know it will open in 2021 and replace the Universe of Energy ride in Epcot.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks

One of Hollywood Studios’ original rides to close
The Great Movie Ride opened with the park on the 1st of May in 1989, and is set to close on 13th August 2017 after an almost 30 year run. To be honest we never really got the deal on this one and so are looking forward to the new attraction: Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. This will be based on the new Mickey Mouse shorts seen on the Disney Channel and boasts a “2 ½ D” experience… whatever that entails.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks

Ratatouille coming to World Showcase
Anyone who has been to Disneyland Paris in the last three years has probably been on its newest ride, Ratatouille: The Adventure. This immersive ride shrinks you down to the size of a rat as you assist Remy in making his favourite dish. This ride is coming to the France pavilion at Epcot and as one of our all-time favourite rides, we are sure will be well received.

Tron Lifecycles Power Run coming to the USThis announcement is Holly’s favourite: Tron Lifecycle is coming to Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom. This ride was first seen in the Shanghai park. This ulta sleek looking, coaster-style ride pulls riders in as they race around the track.

Photo Credit: Disney Park

Is Super Nintendo world coming to Universal Orlando?The real question is when is it coming? Universal have just broken ground for the land at Universal Studios Japan which will open in 2020, conveniently in time for their Olympic games. The main attraction announced is a Mario Kart ride experience, which sounds a-ma-zing. They have also announced there will be expansions to both Hollywood and Florida Universal parks.

Photo Credit: Universal Orlando

With so many rides and expansions in the mix, both Disney and Universal Studios Orlando will race to get everything done and the kinks worked out by 2021. Just in time too, as this will be Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration which falls on 1st October, and we hope to be there for it. Best get saving now!